Niger Inland Delta South of the Sahara Desert, Mali

The Niger Inland Delta (also known as the Inner Niger and Macina Inland Delta) is a large area of lakes and floodplains in the Sahel area of central Mali, just south of the Sahara desert, forming a green oasis in its semi-arid surroundings. The delta consists of the middle course of the Niger River, between the bifurcated Niger and its tributary, the Bani, which from here run north towards the desert.

As the Niger Inland Delta lies in the Sahelian zone, it has an ecosystem that is largely dependent on the amount of flooding it receives. Due to its proximity to the widening Sahel, there have been concerns that it may be getting less rain every year. This strongly affects land use in and around the inland delta, as human impact is driven by agriculture, both irrigated and rainfed, grazing and browsing of herds and flocks and the collection of wood for fuel, all dependent on the availability of water.